Mirasty chases childhood dream of playing professional baseball

Allan Beaver | September 24, 2017

With a lot of potential of making his mark in the sport of baseball, Andrew Mirasty just completed another great summer season with the Edmonton Prospects Baseball Club and still has his sights of pitching in the Major League Baseball.

As one of the leaders with the club, Andrew and the Prospects play in the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) known as the Canada’s Premiere Summer College Baseball League. In the 12-team league, the teams play a total of 48 games during regular season with mostly college baseball athletes who desire to hone their skills during their summer break from school.

Photos supplied by Rick Mirasty

At 6’7” and 235 lbs, the right-handed Metis pitcher Mirasty played injured all summer in Edmonton as he hurt his groin in March 2017 which never healed properly but still threw 90 mph with the injured push off leg. After his second college season at Arizona Christian University, Andrew took the month of May off hoping to recover but it wasn’t to be for the Edmonton Prospects 2017 season.

But his determined heart and perseverance carried him to a great season pitching as the closer for the Edmonton Prospects run to the WMBL Championship. Mirasty was clutch throughout the season and into the play-offs as recorded nine regular season saves and five more in the play-offs in 24 appearances.

The 2017 Edmonton Prospects baseball club did things a little differently than the rest of the teams in the Western Major Baseball League.

The league allows teams up to 20 import players on the roster. Most teams in the WMBL have between 14 and 20 imports, the majority come up here from the United States.

The Edmonton Prospects, though, have just a single import player from Australia; the rest of the team is made up of Canadians. That includes 17 from Edmonton and area on the 25-man roster.

With solid pitching and strong defense, the Edmonton Prospects once again made it to the Championship Series after beating out the Medicine Hat Mavericks for the Western Conference. With the win, the Prospects advanced to the championship against the Swift Current 57s.

The reigning WMBL Champion 57's will now defend their title against the Prospects in the Best-of-5 Championship Series. It was a see-saw battle and the championship could’ve went either way but the Prospects ran out of steam and lost the fifth and deciding game by a score of 4-0 as the 57s won for the sixth time since 2001.

Andrew is starting to collect accolades like his father as he was chosen the 2012 Alberta Aboriginal Role Model Award winner in the Sports Category.

Andrew had athletic parents as father Rick Mirasty was an accomplished fastball pitcher in North America. A Junior High School physical education teacher saw great potential with father Rick (known as Nasty Mirasty) and stated that Rick was the best 12-year-old he ever saw but with the limited financial support, the father couldn’t achieve more of childhood dreams.

Father Rick made his mark in the sport of fastball across North America and at the 1984 Prince George Native Fastball Tournament which brings out the best of Canada to this prestigious tournament, he was selected as the Top Pitcher and the Most Valuable Player of the tournament as he was the lead-off batter for the Edmonton (CNFC) North Stars. His batting average of .600 and numerous stolen bases plus a 90-mph fastball in the tournament was unheard of and the main reason of being known as Nasty.

Photos supplied by Rick Mirasty

Andrews younger brother Jackson is in his fourth year at the University of Alberta and writes Gladue reports for Department of Justice. Older brother Ryan Therrien was also an accomplished athlete as he was the 400 metre Canadian Junior Champion in 2001 and ran track for the University of North Carolina (UNC) on a full scholarship.

The Prospects will lose Andrew for next season due to eligibility but that won’t stop the young prospect from chasing his baseball dream.

“I would like to chase my baseball dream a bit longer, hoping for the big show (MLB) but also catch on with an Independent League Professional team for next season,” stated Andrew. “Ultimately, I have aspirations to be a lawyer like my father Rick and older brother Ryan,” he added.

Rick is now a lawyer in Edmonton and is totally committed in supporting the success of his sons, which he never received as young athlete.

“I just wanted to give my children opportunities I never had growing up because of the finances. As a proud father, I am there for them to ensure that they taste the success but more importantly have a great career,” added Rick Mirasty.